Mizzou’s late comeback lifts Tigers over KU

Missouri Tigers Steve Moore and Michael Dixon stop a shot by Kansas Jayhawks Tyshawn Taylor in the last minute of the game at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri on February 4, 2012. Missouri won the game 74-71. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

The Missouri Tigers finished on an 11-0 run to come back and beat the Kansas Jayhawks 74-71, in front of a sold out, rowdy Mizzou Arena. The Tigers tie the Jayhawks with an 8-2 record in the Big 12. Marcus Denmon broke out of his slump scoring 29 points on 10 of 16 shooting, including 6 of 9 from three point range.

It was Denmon’s last three pointer that gave the Tigers a 72-71 lead with :56 left after the Tigers were down eight with 3:25 to play. Missouri also found a way to win despite getting just 20 minutes from Ricardo Ratliffe who spent the entire night in foul trouble. Ratliffe finished with six points, four rebounds and four fouls.

Kansas took advantage with Thomas Robinson picking Steve Moore apart with 25 points. Tyshawn Taylor added 21 from the outside for KU. It was his slam dunk around a sluggish defense that put KU up 72-63 off a TV timeout.

Mizzou led by five at the half, but forced bad shots and turned the ball over as KU started the second half on an 11-5 run as Robinson accounted for seven of those 11. Three times the Tigers cut the lead to one with nine minutes to play, but turned the ball over twice and shot with :32 left on the shot clock, as Mizzou looked to panic. The momentum of the game changed on Denmon’s three.